The exam
PTE Academic, as it has been since 7 August 2025
Three parts, 22 question types, about two hours. Here is every question type, what it scores, how long you get, and which ones a person now marks.
Last checked 23 September 2026 · Pearson PTE Academic Test Taker Score Guide
At a glance
- Total time
- ≈ 2 h
- Questions
- 65–75
- Question types
- 22was 20
- Marked by a person as well
- 7was 2
Part 1
Speaking & Writing
76–84 min
The longest part, and where both new question types sit.
Part 2
Reading
23–30 min
Five question types, timed as one section.
Part 3
Listening
31–39 min
Eight question types. Summarize Spoken Text has its own 10 minutes.
Results: Usually 2 days, at most 5
What changed on 7 August 2025
The exam kept its name and its length. Almost everything inside it moved.
| Measure | Before | From 7 August 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Question types | 20 | 22 |
| Questions per test | 52–64 | 65–75 |
| Question types a person also marks | 2 | 7 |
| Total length | About 2 hours | About 2 hours |
Pearson says the time limit for each individual question did not change. The bands Home Affairs asks for did. See the score bands.
Every question type, part by part
Names are exactly as they appear on screen on test day.
Part 1Speaking & Writing
Read Aloud
Text of up to 60 words
- Items
- 6–7
- Prep
- 30–40 s
- Response
- Depends on text length
- Counts towards
- Speaking
Repeat Sentence
Audio, 3–9 seconds
- Items
- 10–12
- Prep
- None
- Response
- 15 s
- Counts towards
- ListeningSpeaking
Describe Image
An image: graph, chart, map, diagram or picture
A person marks the content- Items
- 5–6
- Prep
- 25 s
- Response
- 40 s
- Counts towards
- Speaking
Retell Lecture
Audio of up to 90 seconds
A person marks the content- Items
- 2–3
- Prep
- 10 s
- Response
- 40 s
- Counts towards
- ListeningSpeaking
Answer Short Question
Audio, 3–9 seconds
- Items
- 5–6
- Prep
- None
- Response
- 10 s
- Counts towards
- Listening
Summarize Group Discussion
A discussion between three people, up to 3 minutes
NewA person marks the content- Items
- 2–3
- Prep
- 10 s
- Response
- 2 min
- Counts towards
- ListeningSpeaking
Respond to a Situation
A situation, read and heard, up to 60 words
NewA person marks the content- Items
- 2–3
- Prep
- 10 s
- Response
- 40 s
- Counts towards
- Speaking
Summarize Written Text
Text of up to 300 words
A person marks the content- Items
- 2
- Prep
- None
- Response
- 10 minOne sentence, 5–75 words
- Counts towards
- ReadingWriting
Write Essay
A prompt of 2–3 sentences
A person marks the content- Items
- 1
- Prep
- None
- Response
- 20 min200–300 words
- Counts towards
- Writing
Part 2Reading
Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown)
Text of up to 300 words
- Items
- 5–6
- Prep
- None
- Response
- Timed with the section
- Counts towards
- Reading
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
Text of up to 350 words
Wrong picks lose points- Items
- 2–3
- Prep
- None
- Response
- Timed with the section
- Counts towards
- Reading
Reorder Paragraph
Text of up to 150 words
- Items
- 2–3
- Prep
- None
- Response
- Timed with the section
- Counts towards
- Reading
Fill in the Blanks (Drag and Drop)
Text of up to 80 words
- Items
- 4–5
- Prep
- None
- Response
- Timed with the section
- Counts towards
- Reading
Multiple Choice, Single Answer
Text of up to 300 words
- Items
- 2–3
- Prep
- None
- Response
- Timed with the section
- Counts towards
- Reading
Part 3Listening
Summarize Spoken Text
Audio, 60–90 seconds
A person marks the content- Items
- 1
- Prep
- None
- Response
- 10 min50–70 words
- Counts towards
- ListeningWriting
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
Audio, 80–120 seconds
Wrong picks lose points- Items
- 2–3
- Prep
- None
- Response
- Timed with the section
- Counts towards
- Listening
Fill in the Blanks (Type In)
Audio, 30–60 seconds
- Items
- 2–3
- Prep
- None
- Response
- Timed with the section
- Counts towards
- Listening
Highlight Correct Summary
Audio, 30–90 seconds
- Items
- 2–3
- Prep
- None
- Response
- Timed with the section
- Counts towards
- ListeningReading
Multiple Choice, Single Answer
Audio, 30–90 seconds
- Items
- 2–3
- Prep
- None
- Response
- Timed with the section
- Counts towards
- Listening
Select Missing Word
Audio, 20–70 seconds
- Items
- 1–2
- Prep
- None
- Response
- Timed with the section
- Counts towards
- Listening
Highlight Incorrect Words
Audio, 15–50 seconds
Wrong picks lose points- Items
- 2–3
- Prep
- None
- Response
- Timed with the section
- Counts towards
- ListeningReading
Write from Dictation
Audio, 3–5 seconds
- Items
- 3–4
- Prep
- None
- Response
- Timed with the section
- Counts towards
- ListeningWriting
Which skills each question type counts towards follows Pearson's current Score Guide. Pearson's own web pages disagree on three of them, so treat the mapping as a guide, not a formula.
What “marked by a person” means
Seven question types are double-marked: the machine and a trained person both score the content of your response.
If the two scores differ, a second person makes the final judgement.
A person never marks your pronunciation or oral fluency. The machine still does that, on every speaking task.
Pearson classifies memorised or pre-prepared material as irrelevant, and it scores zero for content. That applies whether a person or the machine is marking.
The seven question types
- 1Describe Image
- 2Retell Lecture
- 3Summarize Group Discussion
- 4Respond to a Situation
- 5Summarize Written Text
- 6Write Essay
- 7Summarize Spoken Text
Rules worth knowing before you book
Visas need a test-centre result
Home Affairs does not accept PTE Academic taken fully online or at home. Book a sitting at a test centre.
$499 per sitting
The price of PTE Academic in Australia, in AUD. Pearson sets it and can change it; we check it every quarter.
How long a result lasts
Pearson treats a score report as valid for 2 years. Home Affairs accepts results up to 3 years after the test date, depending on the visa.
Rescheduling
Free if it is more than 14 full days before the test. Inside 14 days you can only cancel and rebook, and refunds shrink as the date gets closer.
Find out which question types cost you the band.
The free diagnostic shows your score in each section against your target, so the plan starts where the points are.